Central Kitchen Restaurant Review

: For a long time Central Square was nothing but Harvard's dodgy, low-brow neighbor. It was the place to go to listen to cheap cover bands and find even cheaper draft beers. In the years since Central Kitchen opened up, the area has begun to attract another crowd, sparking a steady upward mobility. Hardwood floors, a blue-tile bar and post-modern wine-bottle lamp fixtures frame a dimly lit room that has a minimalist coolness quotient. Obscure boutique wines from all over the world --- including Greece and Austria --- flow into the glasses of sophisticated singles and khaki-club academics. Back in the kitchen, chef-owner Gary Strack serves a signature brand of stripped-down, sultry cuisine that runs the gamut of Mediterranean dishes starting with mixed olives, a watermelon salad and deviled eggs. Roasted monkfish gets spiced up in a New Orleans-style sauce with crayfish served over basmati rice, while the “famous” roadside chicken basket takes a more casual stand with corn on the cob, slaw and watermelon. Graze all night, or gobble a quick plate of tender and juicy steak frites: suddenly, it's all doable in Central Square.